Creston Norwayne 59, Johnstown 28: Franklin only bright spot in loss

NEW PHILADELPHIA, Ohio - Johnstown won its first 13 games and made its deepest run into the playoffs because it had too many skilled athletes for opponents to handle.

Mark Znidar, The Columbus Dispatch

NEW PHILADELPHIA, Ohio — Johnstown won its first 13 games and made its deepest run into the playoffs because it had too many skilled athletes for opponents to handle.

The Johnnies experienced life on the other side last night in a Division IV state semifinal.

Quarterback Adam Wallace ran for 69 yards and two touchdowns and threw for 257 yards and two scores, and Creston Norwayne overwhelmed Johnstown 59-28 to reach its first state championship game before a standing-room crowd approaching 6,500 at Woody Hayes Quaker Stadium.

The Bobcats (13-1) held the Johnnies (13-1) on downs four times and scored 42 unanswered points at one point.

“That’s a great team,” Johnstown coach Mike Carter said. “We needed to make sure we controlled the line of scrimmage and held the ball. Defensively, the first thing we had to do was make tackles. There were times we got pressure and couldn’t make the tackle. Credit to them.”

It won’t be official until the Ohio High School Athletic Association analyzes the statistics, but Johnstown tailback Ross Franklin fell 24 yards short of breaking the state season rushing record. He finished the season with 3,416 yards. Tony Franklin of Bedford St. Peter Chanel ran for 3,439 yards in 2001.

Franklin, a senior, ran for 320 yards and two touchdowns on 38 carries against Creston Norwayne.

“It was a great season for us and I’m sad it ended,” said Franklin, who was sobbing. “They were just a great team. They came at us. But I wouldn’t trade my teammates for anything. I’ve known them since we were little kids. I thank them for what they have done for me.”

The Johnnies will never forget a stretch in the third quarter when the Bobcats took firm control.

Johnstown looked as if it would answer a touchdown by Norwayne by smartly driving downfield for a first-and-goal at the 7.

On fourth down from the 2, Carter passed up the field-goal attempt. Franklin was stuffed at the 1-yard line by linebacker Jon Zimmerly to end the threat.

Norwayne then shocked the Johnnies when Jon Mailbach caught a short pass, made a couple of slick moves and ran 66 yards for a touchdown for a 38-21 lead with 2:42 left in the quarter.

Johnstown tried to play catch-up, and the results were disastrous when Trevalin Beery intercepted Matt Smith at midfield and returned the ball to the 6-yard line.

On the next play, Wallace ran over left tackle for a touchdown and a 45-21 lead.

“We just had too many turnovers and they didn’t have any,” Johnstown linebacker Corbin Grassman said. “I think we just got out of control and lost our heads.”

When Zimmerly zipped through the middle of the line almost untouched for a 12-yard touchdown run to tie the score at 7, one could sense it would be a long night for the defenses.

The Bobcats went 68 yards in only eight plays, and two plays were incomplete passes.

Johnstown also had little difficulty moving the ball, even though there was no deception. It was Franklin up the middle, Franklin around left end and Franklin around right end.

Franklin ran around right end untouched for a 35-yard touchdown on the first possession on fourth-and-7.